


Bloom (Can I Be Close to You?)

by floralghosts (wpjeanprouvaires)



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Greek Mythology, Hades and Persephone AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-02-24
Packaged: 2019-03-07 19:29:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13441716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wpjeanprouvaires/pseuds/floralghosts
Summary: Taako is the goddess of flowers and growth. He's been apprenticing with Lucretia, goddess of the harvest, since he showed signs of magic. His sister Lup, the goddess of love and beauty, thinks Taako needs to get out more.Kravitz is the god of hell, the King of the Underworld. He lives with his three-headed dog and his only two friends, who are dead. Lup thinks Kravitz needs to get out more, too.Lup has some plans. Taako and Kravitz have no idea what's coming.





	1. in the morning when i wake

**Author's Note:**

> this is super unbeta-ed and mostly for myself so here we go  
> i wrote this because i wanted taako in a couple specific dresses that i will link you to per chapter and they all seemed like a persephone vibe, and suddenly taako was persephone.
> 
> Here's the sitch:  
> Taako - Persephone  
> Kravitz - Hades  
> Lup - Aphrodite  
> Barry (not involved but mentioned) - Haephestus  
> Sloane and Hurley - spirits

Taako was  _ exhausted.  _

It wasn’t that he hated working in the fields; he quite liked it, actually. The solitude of the work, the sounds of the world as it woke up around him and continued to grow throughout the day. It’s just that it was… a little too much, sometimes. His long hair was pulled up into a sweaty ponytail; when he’d objected to tending the wheat for the day, Lucretia had pulled him closer and tied his hair up with one of the many ties she’d fashioned from different flowers. This one complimented his orange hair nicely, he thought perhaps she’d made it from the forget-me-nots in their side garden. 

The truth of the matter was that Taako preferred to be in the kitchen with his family. The muffins he baked with Lucretia, the dishes he concocted with Lup. Though Lup didn’t live with them anymore, she came by often with her boyfriend (whom at first, Taako thought was  _ way  _ below Lup, but he’d realized how much she loved her blacksmithing boyfriend and welcomed him with open arms) to keep up their tradition of home cooked dinners on Friday nights. 

This thought was what kept him going as he ran his hands through the growing wheat, watching it bloom under his fingertips. Just a few more fields to stroll through. 

_ Ugh.  _ Being a god was hard work. 

The reason Lucretia sent him to do this was because she was teaching him her ways of assisting the mortals in the town they watched over. She would tend to their crops, keep their animals safe, leave bread on their doorsteps. She did all of this within the blink of an eye, simply willing it into existence. When Taako began to show signs of magic, she taught him to use it for good - to look out for those unfortunate mortals without their skills. 

Which, of course, was a nice thought. Taako, however, wished he led more of a  _ glamorous  _ life as a god. Lup, he often thought, was living the dream as the goddess of beauty. She was worshipped by  _ everyone.  _ They begged her for her looks, for her charm. She was the definition of love and desire, and Taako could’ve loathed her for it if he didn’t love her so goddamn much. 

“Of course you love me,” said a voice behind him. 

He turned to look up at his twin, smiling wickedly. “Of course I do. You also know that I  _ hate  _ when you dig in my brain.” 

Lup shrugged, sitting on some sort of invisible chaise lounge in midair. “I hate it when you don’t do anything exciting with yourself. Why aren’t you  _ trying  _ to meet people, Taako? You follow Lucretia’s orders like they’re law. You know she loves you, and if you want to go elsewhere, she’d let you.”

Taako laughed. “Oh, baby, you think I haven’t tried? There’s nowhere for me to go! This is my destiny. I make things grow. It’s just what I do, and I do what I’ve gotta.” 

“At least travel the countryside,” Lup said, rolling her eyes. “Grow flowers somewhere else. Meet people. How many other gods have you even talked to?” 

“Besides being forced to at family gatherings? None,” Taako said. “I want nothing to do with them. Zeus is a filthy disgusting -” 

“Careful,” Lup said, softly. She stepped down from her throne in the sky, elegant as she landed in the field. “He’s been in one of his moods.” 

“He’s always in one of his moods if he hasn’t been fucking one of his sisters behind Hera’s back,” Taako said, sticking his nose up. “I don’t know why you want to be one of them, Lulu. You’re so much better than that.” 

“I know I am,” Lup said with a brilliant smile. “I’m gonna climb higher and higher until that cheating bastard is below me. He won’t even know what hit him.” She glanced up at the sky, up at what may be Olympus above them. “But you didn’t hear that from me,” she said, looking back at Taako with a wink. 

Taako sighed. “Alright, fair fair fair. But I want nothing to do with it until you’re queen of everything. Hit me up then, babes. For now, it’s me and the dirt.” 

“Not if I have anything to do with iiiiiit,” Lup sang, stepping back onto something in the sky he couldn’t see. She was floating away, holding on to what seemed like an invisible umbrella. 

“Stay out of my shit, Lulu!” Taako shouted after her. “I love you, but I’ll kill you!” 

“No you wooooon’t!” 

And then she was gone. 

Fuck her, honestly. 

  
  
  


Kravitz was  _ exhausted.  _

He’d gotten the short end of the stick from the very beginning. He didn’t  _ want  _ to be king of Hell. He didn’t  _ want  _ to be the captor of billions of souls. He didn’t  _ want  _ a horrifying three-headed dog, but at this point, Cerberus was the only friend he had. He loved him more than anything. 

The Underworld was cold  _ all the time.  _ He shivered involuntarily, his mind already accustomed to the temperature but his body still protesting. As it turned out. spending time with the dead was pretty cold, inside and out. 

Only once had Kravitz made friends; Sloane and Hurley, a couple who met each other even after death, who came strolling into the Underworld hand in hand. Something about them had made Kravitz feel something other than the constant apathy he had to have in his line of work. They were the only two Kravitz could hold a conversation with,  _ laugh  _ with. He gave them permission to walk freely between the living and the dead so as to let him know how the world passed on above him as he said, ever stagnant, underground. 

Truly, Sloane was Kravitz’s favorite. He’d never tell, but she’d hinted that her death had something to do with being falsely accused of robbing a bank, and Hurley had quieted her, telling her to move on from their pasts and move into this new afterlife together. It was a tearful reunion, one that Kravitz had felt he’d been imposing on. It was the three of them, in that moment, all  _ feeling  _ so deeply.

But, Kravitz reminded himself as he drew his black coat tighter around his body, it was not the three of them. It was him and him alone. Technically, it was him  _ against  _ them, but he did his best to avoid that line of thinking. He didn’t ask for this job. He didn’t want this. He didn’t ask for this. 

A loud roar pulled him from his thoughts as he started, standing up to make his way into the room Cerberus lived in. His job was to keep spirits in the Underworld, and often his barks were a signal of an attempted escape. 

However, what Kravitz saw as he entered the cavern wasn’t an escaping spirit dangling from Cerberus’ fangs; it was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen in his life, and he wished all of a sudden that he was interested in women. 

She had Cerberus on his back, rolling around and licking at her face with all three of his heads. She was tossing him pieces of meat and scratching his everywhere she could reach with her small frame. 

The only way someone could have made it down here would have been if they were a god. 

“Who are you?” Kravitz asked, bewildered.    


“Oh! Kravitz!” The woman turned around and beamed at him. “I’m Lup.”

_ Of course.  _ The goddess of beauty. The one person who could make him wish he wasn’t gay. 

“Why are you…”

“Why am I underground? When I could be above, spreading love and joy to mortals everywhere?” Lup spread her arms as she spoke, as if urging him to hug her. He was almost swayed until he reminded himself that this was her power. He stood his ground. 

“Yes. Exactly.” 

Lup grinned, and it was something wicked. “Because I’m down here, spreading love and joy to  _ you. _ ” She reached behind her and pulled out what looked like an umbrella, but the top was pointed and sharp. She pointed it directly at Kravitz. 

“What are you-” 

And the world went red. 


	2. and the sun is coming through

The world was growing dark as Taako decided he’d done enough for the day. He was just about to call Lucretia so she could check over his day’s work when he heard someone behind him. 

He jumped, wondering if he’d been caught by a mortal again (and hadn’t that been an exciting day the first time it’d happened) but what he saw when he turned around was a shadowy figure with two glowing red eyes. 

“Uh,” Taako said, aloud. “Is this something I should worry about, or…?” 

There was absolute silence in response, and Taako channelled Lucretia’s energy. He couldn’t decide if he was calling her or her magic, but his fingertips began to glow and he saw a tall, gorgeous man standing in front of him. He fell back slightly, the wind knocked from his lungs as he lowered his hand. 

“Hey, my man,” Taako said, as he swallowed his gasp. “You’ve gotta say something. you can’t just show up in the dark with your glowing eyes being all handsome and shit without at least telling me your name.” 

“Kravitz,” the figure said. He also sounded winded. “Did you know… You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen.” 

Taako was used to compliments like these. He put a lot of effort into his appearance and his vibes. He knew he was ethereal. But there was something about hearing it from someone who looked… Who looked like Kravitz. 

Kravitz. 

_ Kravitz.  _

“Oh my God, you’re the king of the Underworld.” Taako took a step back, tripping over himself slightly. As he righted his stance, he looked back up and Kravitz had moved closer. 

“Yes,” Kravitz said, quietly. 

“You’re starting to creep me out, dude. You’re gorgeous, but you can’t just-” 

Kravitz came closer again, without an indication that he’d moved his feet. 

Taako leaned in towards him, totally enraptured by the man in front of him. “C’mon, at least tell me why-” 

“Let me kiss you,” Kravitz said, a plea in his voice. “I can’t do it without your permission.” 

“But why?” 

Something about the glossiness in Kravitz’s eyes vanished, and his hand came up to touch Taako’s hair. “Forget-me-nots.”

“...What?” Taako asked, snapping out of it. 

“You have forget-me-nots growing in your hair.” 

Taako reached up to feel the blooming flowers as they grew larger, sprouting from his hair tie and crawling through his long waves. His hand touched Kravitz’s and Kravitz widened his eyes. 

“I, um. I have to go,” Kravitz said. His face was dark. “Right now. I’m so sorry. I-” He turned and moved to snap his fingers, but Taako reached out. 

“Wait!” He called, his hand gripping Kravitz’s wrist. 

And then he was no longer in the field, with stars shining overhead. 

He was in a cavern, a thing that would have been pitch black if not for the torches lining the walls. There was a tall throne in the middle of the cavern with a large fireplace in front of it. Despite the roaring fire inside, he still felt cold. 

A hand touched his shoulder and he jumped, turning around. 

“You have to go,” Kravitz said, quickly. “You have to leave right now. Oh, my god. I just kidnapped someone. Taako, you have to leave  _ right now.”  _

Taako laughed, a short and panicked thing. “Where even am I? You’re the one who brought me here, bubalah. Wanna get me home?”

Kravitz looked taken aback. “I…”

“Actually, You know what?” Taako said, pulling away from Kravitz. He walked towards the throne. “What if I want to stay?” 

“You  _ what?” _

“You’re fucking  _ stunning,  _ my man. You’re beautiful. The kidnapping thing I wouldn’t usually put up with, but it was a little bit my fault, so I’m not gonna hold that against you. But what… why did you show up in my field?”

Kravitz was absolutely pink. “You, uh… Lup…” 

Taako let out a long groan, something that Kravitz had to fight thinking about, and put his head in his hands. “I told her! I told her to stay the fuck out of it, didn’t I? I did. Why didn’t I guess she would pull something like this?” He suddenly looked up at Kravitz, and if looks could kill, Kravitz would be stuck with all the souls he was supposed to be holding in the Underworld. Taako pointed at him, taking a few steps closer. “And  _ you.  _ You’re clearly in on it. How much did she pay you to flirt with me? What did she give you? I’ll match it just to trap her down here for a few days.” 

Kravitz threw his hands up in the air as a gesture of innocence, his eyes widening. “I didn’t do anything. She showed up down here, bribed my  _ dog  _ somehow-” (which, Kravitz knew, was not a difficult task, but he wasn’t going to give that information up so easily) “-Pointed some umbrella thing at me, and then I was looking at you and you were…” Kravitz snapped his jaw shut immediately. Now was not the time for more flirting. “...There. You were there, and I had no idea how I got there.” 

“UGH!” Taako shouted into the cavern. “She set me up! My own sister shot a hot guy with one of her damn love arrows just to get me to go out with someone. I’m wounded.” Taako looked back at Kravitz, and he was pouting. 

Kravitz wanted to kiss the look off his face. 

“And now you probably really want me to leave, huh? Since you kidnapped me, and all. And you probably don’t want to get in trouble.” 

“Actually, yes, that would be wonderful,” Kravitz said, relieved. 

Taako’s hurt expression morphed into a smirk. “Well, it’s not gonna be that easy. We’re down here now, might as well make something of it, handsome.” 

It was Kravitz’s turn to put his face in his hands. “Taako, I can’t- I’m the King of the Underworld. I can’t just… Keep Lucretia’s apprentice down here just because he’s gorgeous.” 

“Gorgeous, hmm?” Taako said, grinning wider. He had a gap in his front teeth and it was overwhelmingly charming. “I don’t see why the King of Hell can’t have a pretty little thing to follow him around for awhile.” 

“I’m not… Taako, I’m not that kind of leader,” Kravitz said. He was suddenly very exhausted. “I need you to go, Taako. I’m sorry.” 

Taako, whose pointed ears had begun to droop, looked deflated. “Fine,” he said, after a moment. “That’s fine.” 

Kravitz was relieved again. “Thank you, Taako. I’m sorry. I really am.” 

“‘Sfine,” Taako said, again. He was gathering up his skirts, which Kravitz noticed were long and layered, a light pink thing that complimented the blue flowers that had begun to wilt in his hair. Taako turned and began to make his way out of the cavern, strolling with his head held high across the hall and past the throne. 

Kravitz could feel the hurt radiating from Taako. He wanted to call out, but he stayed silent, looking down at the ground as he listened to Taako’s heels click on the stone ground as he left. When he looked up again after Taako was gone, a few forget-me-nots laid wilting on the floor.

 

As he exited the dark cavern, walking down a long stretch of a hallway, Taako fought tears. He didn’t cry. He never cried, especially not about a  _ boy.  _ A boy who fucking kidnapped him, for Gods’ sake, who never really cared for him as far as how beautiful he was, and even then it was only because of Lup’s magic. 

Fuck her, honestly. Fuck her. 

Taako gritted his teeth as he came up to a small side-table, almost like a miniature column, with a bowl of fruit sitting on it. Angry and annoyed with the whole situation, just wishing he was already home with Lucretia baking something that Lup knew meant he was angry with her, Taako took a big pink pomegranate from the top of the bowl and split it with his magic. He dug into the fruit with his long red nails, watching as the juice dripped down over his hand. It looked remarkably like blood, and Taako suddenly felt better, as if he was taking all of his fury out on the poor fruit. 

He placed three seeds on his tongue and revelled in the flavor, sweet but with a tang. Taako loved pomegranates. He wished everything could taste the way a pomegranate did, the best of both worlds. 

Suddenly he felt drawn backwards, not moving, but as if he were a magnet and his other half was somewhere far behind him, tugging him closer. He shook his head, annoyed, as if this was Kravitz’s doing. He started to walk again. 

He reached another cavern, one where a huge dog with three heads sat curled up on the ground, fast asleep. The sight made him chuckle. Kravitz had made it seem like his dog would snap at anyone who looked at it the wrong way, but it seemed the dreaded Cerberus was just a very big lap dog. 

Biting down on another handful of seeds, Taako felt himself  _ dragged  _ backwards this time, without even moving his feet. “Oh, what the fuck?” Taako asked loudly. “What do you  _ want,  _ Kravitz? I thought you wanted me to leave?” 

There was no response. 

Furious, Taako turned around and stomped his way back down the hallway into the throne room. 

Kravitz was sitting in front of the fireplace, on the floor. His long feathered cape was spread out around him, his chin in his hands. 

“What do you want?” Taako shouted from the door. 

Kravitz jumped up to his feet, pulling out a staff with the head of some sort of bird as the handle. “My God, Taako. What are you still…” Kravitz looked over Taako’s frame, saw the pomegranate juice still running down his arm to his hand, where he gripped half of the fruit, his nails digging into it forcefully. “You… You didn’t just eat that, did you?” 

“Now is not the time to be stingy with your shit, Kravitz. Why do you keep dragging me back here? You asked me to leave. Nay, you demanded that I leave. I’m trying to leave.” 

“I’m not pulling you back, Taako,” Kravitz said, his voice very quiet. “Did you eat the fruit, yes or no?” 

“No shit!” Taako yelled. 

“You… You shouldn’t have done that, Taako,” Kravitz said. He had begun to sound panicked, his voice raising wildly. “Don’t you realize what happens when you eat food from the Underworld? You get stuck here! I can’t let you leave now! You’ve got part of the Underworld inside you, you’re trapped! If you leave… God, I don’t even know what will happen!” He threw his head into his hands again, his staff vanishing. 

Taako let his hands drop to his sides. He stared at the pomegranate in his hand and felt sick. He’d wanted to stay, sure, but not  _ forever.  _ He had to get home to Lucretia, he still had things to do. She was probably worried sick about him-

“I can contact her for you, make sure she knows you’re okay,” Kravitz said. “But she’s not going to be happy.” 

“Lucretia won’t be happy? What about ME? I’m the one who’s stuck down here! Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck. What am I going to do?” Taako was pacing before he stopped dead and pointed at Kravitz as he did before. “You. You were just in my head. Lup does that. Don’t do that.” 

Kravitz put his hands up again. “My bad. I can’t hear the dead’s thoughts, I’m not used to it.” 

Taako’s hand dropped to his side. “‘S fine,” He said, a sigh in his voice. “What’s the point of keeping you out, anyway? I belong to you, now.” 

“Um,” Kravitz said, shaking his head very fast. “No. No no no. Not that. You don’t  _ belong  _ to me. You’re just… Stuck here. I’m not going to make you do anything you don’t… don’t want to. I’ll give you free reign of the Underworld. You’re not my… my  _ slave,  _ Taako. This was an accident. I’m not going to take advantage of it.” 

Taako smiled, something small. “You really aren’t that kind of king, are you?” 

“No,” Kravitz said, firmly. “No, I’m not. But I can’t let you leave, Taako. You ate food from the Underworld, you’re bound here by magic. I’ll do everything I can to find a way to let you leave, but for now…” he trailed off. 

"I'm stuck here," Taako echoed.

"Yeah," Kravitz said, a sigh in his voice. "Yeah."


	3. you fill my lungs with sweetness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> omg guys i didn't think i'd have people wanting me to continue this???? i figured i'd post a chapter a week but since people like it here's the next one!!! 
> 
> thank you for the comments and the kudos!! you're all so sweet and definitely make me want to write more <3

The next few days were slow. Kravitz showed Taako around the caves of the underground palace, introduced him to the room that would be his. It was large, much larger than his room with Lucretia. It was also much colder, even despite having his own fireplace. When he voiced his concerns about the temperature, Kravitz had candles and torches placed in Taako’s room, as well as a mountain of blankets. 

Taako assumed that he had not heard from Lucretia because Lup had not told her yet what she’d done. She was always sneaky. It’s why she got away with things. People also found it  _ attractive, _ like the rest of her. It was something Taako had always been secretly jealous of; they looked the exact same. Why wasn’t he worshipped the way that she was? Why was he the apprentice of Lucretia, killing weeds and standing in wheat fields? He deserved something so much more glamorous. 

The Underworld was less than glamorous, but it was a change. As well as showing him the palace, Kravitz gave Taako a quick tour of the Underworld itself, where the souls were kept. It made Taako a little sick, though he’d never mention it, to see so many dead people in one place. It was even stranger knowing that he was seeing the bare souls of the dead. It was uncomfortably intimate considering that he hadn’t known any of these people in real life. 

He avoided leaving the palace after that. 

For the most part, Taako followed Kravitz around, watching him give orders and accept the dead into his chilly clutches. So much so that Kravitz had a chair brought into the main throne room for Taako to sit beside him. He even let Taako give opinions on certain situations.  

As far as his wardrobe, Kravitz let Taako choose from a variety of suits that Kravitz had in his own closet at first. Taako put one on and admired himself in the mirror, thanking Zeus for, at the very least, giving him a figure that rocked both dresses and dress pants. However, he didn’t particularly want Kravitz to see him looking so much…  _ not him.  _ The moment he requested otherwise, Kravitz produced a small pile of dresses and had them hung in the closet in Taako’s room. He didn’t particularly want to know where the dresses came from, since he was surrounded by the dead, but they were beautiful and showcased his figure flawlessly, so he didn’t say anything. 

He was settling on a long pink thing made of lace that dragged around his heels when Kravitz knocked on his door. 

“Come in,” he called. “I’m not decent, but I don’t care.” 

Kravitz opened the door slowly as if trying to process what Taako meant by that, before making eye contact with him as Taako stepped into the dress and pulled it up over his torso. Kravitz swallowed hard, and Taako gave him a small smile. 

“What can I do for ya, handsome?” 

“Lup,” Kravitz said. He sounded slightly breathless, though Taako couldn’t tell if it was from running here or seeing Taako half naked. “Lup is here to see you.” 

Taako’s eyes widened, and he made a beeline for the door, snapping his fingers to make his heels appear on his feet as he stomped out of the room and down to the main hall. 

“ _ LUP,”  _ he hollered the moment he saw her. “I’m going to kill you. I swear I am.” 

As he got closer, Taako noticed that Lup looked a mess. Still beautiful, of course, but sorrowfully beautiful. Her eyes were watery and she looked tousled, like she hadn’t slept. When he approached her she ran to him, throwing herself into his arms. “Taako, I’m so sorry. I didn’t think this would… I didn’t think. I didn’t think about it at all. I just wanted to help and then I made everything worse and now you hate me and Lucretia hates me-” 

“Hey,” Taako said, quickly, pulling away from her embrace. He put his hands on both sides of her face and glared at her. “Hey. I don’t hate you. I’m fucking  _ pissed,  _ but I could never hate you, Lup. You know I love you more than anything.” He paused to comb through her hair with his fingers before he stopped and stared at her again, his expression softening. “Wait, did you say Lucretia? How is she? Is she-”

“She’s  _ furious,”  _ Lup said, more tears appearing in her eyes. “Everything’s cold, Taako.” 

“Yeah, I’ve noticed,” Taako said, looking around at the cave. 

“I mean  _ upstairs.  _ She’s… all the plants are dead. There’s frost on everything, people’s animals are dying, no one can figure out how to calm her down-” 

Taako let out a long breath. “That’s… bad,” he said, quietly. 

Lucretia didn’t lose her temper. She was always quiet and calm and if she had a bone to pick with you, you’d know it before she had a chance to get truly upset. The only time Taako had seen her lose it was when Lup told her she was leaving. She hadn’t been angry, but hurt. She’d stayed in bed for a week and the world had grown very cold, crops freezing over and flowers shriveling and dying. Taako had had to call to Apollo and ask for help in dragging the sun closer, and he’d grown all of the flowers back, trying to undo what she’d done without realizing it. 

Lucretia was the most important thing in his world besides Lup, but when she lost control of her emotions, it put everyone in danger. 

“And you’re not there to fix everything like before,” Lup whispered. “She’s so angry with me, Taako, I don’t think she’ll ever forgive me.” 

“She’ll forgive you, babe,” Taako said, hugging her again. “She always does. We’re going to figure this out.” 

“We?” Lup asked, pulling away. “I thought-” she looked up at something behind Taako, and Taako turned. 

Kravitz was standing there in a black suit, his feathered cape ruffling behind him. The inside of it was red, matching his eyes. He looked as regal as the king of the Underworld should. “I’m doing all I can to undo this,” Kravitz said, locking eyes with Taako. “If Taako tries to leave now, he will simply be dragged backwards. There’s nothing I can do there. But I’m researching the magic I could do to undo the spell and let him return.” 

“Thank you, Kravitz,” Lup said, softly. “I didn’t think…” 

“I would never hold someone - well, let me rephrase - I would never hold someone  _ living  _ down here without their permission. Not unless it was their time to go.” 

Taako felt his chest clench. 

“For now, I’ve taken into account all of the things that will make Taako feel comfortable here. If there’s anything you could do to help me with this, it would be greatly appreciated.” 

Taako looked at Lup, who looked dumbfounded. She nodded. “Of course. Taako, is there anything…?”

Taako cleared his throat. “Yes. Um… my clothes. The dress… The Dress. You know the one.” 

Lup’s eyebrows raised very high. “I know the one.” She looked between Taako and Kravitz, and Taako’s ears went slightly pink. “Anything else?”

“Maybe… Uh…” Taako wracked his brain for anything from home he’d want. His voice dropped significantly. “Could you ask Lucretia if I could have the blanket from her room? The blue one?” 

Lup’s eyes softened. More tears began to well in them. “The one with the…” 

“The flowers on it,” Taako said quickly. “That one.” 

“Got it,” Lup said. She exhaled and then pulled Taako into another crushing embrace. “I love you, Taako. I’m sorry I got you into this.” 

“You were just trying to help, babes. It’s okay.” 

Lup released Taako and took a few steps back. She gave Kravitz a little wave as she turned and began to walk from the hall. “Oh, Kravitz? Can I come visit your dog more often?” 

Bewildered, Kravitz stared at Lup’s retreating figure. “...Sure?”

“BRILLIANT.” Lup took off running down the cavern towards the entrance, where Cerberus stood guard. 

It took Taako a long time to regain himself before he could look at Kravitz. When he did, Kravitz was staring at him with… Something in his eyes. 

“Do you need more blankets?” He asked, quietly. 

“No, no no no,” Taako said, quickly. “Not at all. I’m fine. It’s just, um… It’s a sentimental thing. Lucretia fashioned it from flower petals, the way she does. It’s not, um… it’s just… I just want it.”

Kravitz nodded knowingly. “Of course,” he said, his voice still low. He stood there for a moment before taking a step closer, and then another. Very slowly he made his way over to Taako. Taako stood frozen, staring up at Kravitz as he came closer. “Taako, if there’s anything else I can do for you, please let me know,” Kravitz said. 

Taako could smell Kravitz’s cologne. It was surprisingly floral, like lavender. It made him shiver. “Can I ask you something?” 

“Anything,” Kravitz said. 

“Do you remember when you asked me to kiss you?” 

Kravitz’s jaw tightened. “Taako, you know I was out of my right mind, you know I’m sorry-” 

“Will you kiss me now?” Taako asked. Kravitz was making his mouth water. 

Kravitz looked taken aback. “What?” 

Taako took a step closer and leaned in on the tips of his toes. Kravitz held his breath as Taako whispered, “Please. I need your permission.” 

Kravitz’s eyes widened and he nodded, a short bob of his head, and instantly Taako was kissing him. 

Taako tasted sweet, all fruit and floral, his lips soft but his kiss hot. Taako’s arms were coming up to wrap around Kravitz’s neck, pressing their bodies together. Kravitz fumbled with his hands. He hadn’t done this in… Fuck, since before he was a god. Finally he landed on Taako’s waist, holding him close. The lace under his fingers was softer than he expected. 

Kravitz had never felt more at home in the Underworld. 

Taako pulled away, he looked dazed. “You’re good at that, handsome.”

Kravitz laughed, slightly manic. “Thank you.”

Touching Kravitz’s face gently with his knuckles, Taako took a step back, turning away. “I’m going for a walk.”

“I’ll see you at dinner?” Kravitz asked, more hopeful than he would have liked. 

“Of course,” Taako said. “Unless… You’d like to join me?” 

Kravitz watched as Taako continued to walk away.  _ You’re the king of the Underworld, you can’t.  _

“Wait up,” Kravitz said, jogging lightly after him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's the lace dress Taako wears in this chapter: https://scontent.fdet1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t34.0-12/26941285_1687529134637019_1599582996_n.png?oh=af07415dbd11819c69a01be8b64ca9dd&oe=5A68D16D


	4. and you fill my head with you

Lup had visited two more times, bringing Taako his requested items and spending time with Cerberus. On her second visit, she’d shyly requested of Kravitz to use his kitchen. Taako and Lup had cooked dinner that night, the best meal Kravitz had eaten in ages. 

“If you want to use my kitchen, you don’t have to ask,” Kravitz had told Taako after Lup had gone. “This is your home, too. I mean… for now.” 

Taako had smiled, something very small, before smirking. “Thanks, babe,” he’d said, reaching up to kiss Kravitz’s cheek. 

They hadn’t  _ kissed  _ again since that first time in the throne room. There had been shared glances and careful hand touches and cheek kisses, but nothing else. 

Kravitz was slightly disappointed. He thought perhaps that Taako would finally demand of him that they were  _ a thing.  _ He seemed like the demanding type. Kravitz was into it. 

But he hadn’t. In fact, he’d been even more scarce than usual, spending most of his time in his room or in the kitchen. That was one thing Kravitz loved; every night felt so  _ domestic  _ with Taako in his kitchen, humming or muttering quietly to himself as he concocted new recipes. Every meal he created was better than the one before, as if he was getting accustomed to his new surroundings. Occasionally he would ask for new ingredients, and Kravitz was thrilled when he did because it meant he was finally getting comfortable enough to ask for what he needed. 

The second time Kravitz had gone above ground to find something for Taako, he’d come home to find Taako sitting with Cerberus. 

“Were you waiting for me?” Kravitz asked, amused. 

“Of course not,” Taako said. “I was bored. I’ve read all of the books Lup brought me, I didn’t have the things I needed for dinner tonight. I thought I’d spend some time with your dog. And test how far I could go before being dragged back again.” 

“Mhm,” Kravitz said, smiling as he strode past Taako. 

Taako stood up and followed him. “I wasn’t waiting for you,” he pressed.

“No,” Kravitz agreed, but he was still smiling. 

One month passed, and then another. Lup visited, Kravitz continued running the Underworld. Taako trailed behind him in his extravagant dresses, some from home and some from Kravitz. He hadn’t seen Lucretia, though he assumed this was because Lucretia would probably kill Kravitz if Lup didn’t stop her first. 

If there was one thing Zeus liked, it was God vs God, and he would want to be a part of it. Lucretia wanted nothing to do with him. 

Still, it hurt a little bit. All Taako wanted was to cook with her, take a walk through the green grass and watch as flowers bloomed around her ankles. He couldn’t wait until he had her powers. He couldn’t wait. 

He couldn’t wait to see her again. 

Taako spent an ungodly amount of time in the kitchen when he missed Lucretia like this. Kravitz would ask him if something was wrong, if there was anything he could do, but Taako would shush him, telling him he needed his concentration. 

One night, Taako appeared in the door to the throne room. Kravitz was talking quietly with Sloane and Hurley, who had recently returned from above. Taako hid, just slightly, trying to listen in on what the three were saying. 

“-Zeus wants to see what’s going on-” Hurley said.

“He heard Taako was missing and Lucretia was throwing some kind of fit-” Sloane added.

Kravitz interrupted her without missing a beat, his voice firm. “What does that mean for me?”

Hurley swallowed hard and looked at Sloane, who sighed. “He wants to come to the Underworld and see what’s happened for himself.”

Kravitz swore, very quietly, and Taako raised his eyebrows. He’d  _ never  _ heard Kravitz swear. 

“He already  _ knows  _ what’s happened. Why does he need to be here for it?” 

Sloane shook her head. “You know Zeus. He has to know all the details of everything going on, or he thinks people are hiding things from him. At least it’s not Hera when she’s in one of her moods.” 

“To be fair, Zeus cheats on her with pretty much anyone other than herself,” Hurley said. 

“Fair, but still scary,” Kravitz agreed. He sighed and leaned back in his throne, putting his head in his hands. “I guess this means I have to get ready. Family gathering, huh? When is he coming?” 

“... Tonight?” Hurley said, nearly under her breath. 

“Tonight?” Taako said, stepping out from behind the door. The three looked up in alarm, unaware that they’d had an eavesdropper. “Perfect. I’ll make dinner.” 

“No, Taako,” Kravitz said. “Zeus is picky, I need to call my best chefs -” 

“Do you think I can’t whip something up that will impress the god of gods himself?” Taako asked, faking offense. “Darling, I’ve got this covered. On me tonight, don’t worry about it.” 

Kravitz stood up and strode over to Taako, looking at him directly in the eyes. “Are you sure, Taako? Zeus is…” He trailed off, sounding anxious. 

Taako softened his voice significantly. “I’ve got this, babes,” he said. Kravitz looked down and noticed that Taako had taken his hand, mirroring Sloane and Hurley behind them. 

Looking back at Taako with an expression of relief, Kravitz sighed. “Whatever you say, dear,” He said. He squeezed Taako’s hand. “Thank you.” 

Taako’s heart beat painfully. Kravitz had never called him  _ dear  _ before. “Any time,” he said, but his voice was off.   
  


Taako worked his  _ ass  _ off in the kitchen that evening. His apron was splashed with all different sauces and spices as he searched for just the right combination; of course, he found it. 

Once everything was cooking, he took the opportunity to run to his room and get changed. He was pulling out the big guns for tonight. He was going to wear The Dress. 

This dress was known between Taako and Lup as The Dress because it made Taako  _ shine.  _ Blue with a small triangle cutout in the chest, small glimmering stones surrounding the middle. It was made of the softest fabric, it looked almost like flowing water when Taako moved in it. It tied around his neck, leaving his back entirely exposed. The blue made his orange hair pop, especially when he tied it back into a cascading braid with little blue forget-me-nots crawling between the soft waves. 

It made jaws drop. It made people fall in love with him. 

It made him feel like Lup. 

He dressed and braided his hair, sliding on a pair of shining white heels before he slipped back into the kitchen, making sure to throw an apron on before pulling out his finished creation. 

After admiring his handiwork, Taako left the kitchen to find Kravitz in the throne room, but instead ran directly into him as he pulled open the door. 

“Taako!” Kravitz exclaimed, taking a few steps back in alarm before straightening up. “Oh, I… Wow.” 

Taako righted himself and glanced down at his dress before tearing off the apron quickly, tossing it behind him to the floor of the kitchen, where it landed in a pile and the door fell shut. 

They stared at each other. Kravitz was wearing his usual outfit, but there was something particularly new about it, as if he’d chosen a suit he’d never worn but looked identical to his usual one. He had on his cape and carried what looked like a short staff with a raven carved into the handle. Taako thought perhaps it was carved from bone. 

He was weirdly into it. 

“Dinner’s finished,” he said, his voice faltering. 

“Oh,” Kravitz said again. He shook his head. “Oh, no. Taako, I’m so sorry. I’ve just convinced Zeus not to come.” 

“Oh,” Taako echoed.  _ Damn. All this effort for nothing.  _

_ Or… Not for nothing. _

“That’s perfectly fine,” Taako said, his ears perking up. “We can have dinner ourselves, the two of us.”

“We… do that most nights,” Kravitz said, confused. 

Taako smiled something devious. He took a step towards Kravitz, backing him against the wall. “We can have  _ dinner  _ tonight,” Taako said. “If you want.” 

“Um… Oh.  _ Oh.  _ Dinner. Okay,” Kravitz said, very quickly. “Okay. Yes, I’d love to. That sounds wonderful.”

“Meet you in the dining room in 15, okay?” Taako said. He reached up and kissed Kravitz’s cheek before turning around and strutting back into the kitchen, letting the door fall shut behind him. 

He put his head in his hands. 

_ Oh my god oh my god oh my god _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's The Dress: https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t34.0-12/26994993_1687531407970125_1434222796_n.png?oh=6ed46740005be937fa97333d63245ae3&oe=5A6F383F


	5. can i be close to you?

When Taako strode into the dining room exactly 15 minutes later, Kravitz was already waiting for him, seated in his usual spot at the table. When he looked up and saw Taako, he immediately stood and pulled out a chair beside him for Taako to sit down. 

Taako smiled and gave a little curtsy before sitting down, the gems on his dress shimmering from the candlelight in the chandelier. Taako had had the food brought out earlier and it sat waiting on the table, heat from his magic keeping it hot for them to eat. 

The two had gotten to know each other well over the past months, talking frequently about their lives and the people in them. Kravitz learned all about Lup and Lucretia, Taako learned about Sloane and Hurley. Kravitz talked about the life he led before becoming King of the Underworld. Taako explained that he’d lived with Lup and Lucretia his whole life, and when he finally started to show signs of magic Lucretia had taken him on as her apprentice. Lup had been magical from birth, immediately sprouting into her goddess self. 

Kravitz knew Taako was jealous, but couldn’t see why. He was just as beautiful, if not more so than Lup. He made flowers grow from his hair and sparks light the tips of his fingers. He was the most magical, most incredible thing Kravitz had ever seen. 

“You do realize how beautiful you are, right?” Kravitz asked. He then blushed intensely, noticing that he had just interrupted Taako entirely as he explained the recipe he’d taken from Lucretia for tonight’s meal. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-” 

Taako leaned forward and kissed him. 

This was not the way that they’d kissed before. It had been soft, experimental. This was determined. Taako’s lips held a fire that Kravitz had seen in his eyes, but now he was  _ experiencing  _ it, as if Taako’s magic was radiating through his lips into Kravitz’s body. 

The kiss lasted a long few minutes before Taako pulled away, gasping, and Kravitz leaned forward to chase his lips. The distance was short lived, to his delight, because Taako got up and straddled Kravitz’s waist, placing his arms around Kravitz’s neck. His dress hiked up around his waist and Kravitz felt his body grow feverish. He stretched up to resume the kiss and Taako deepended it further for a few long moments before pulling away again to press kisses into Kravitz’s jaw and the hollow of his throat. 

Kravitz let out a low moan and felt himself blush again. Taako fingers ran over Kravitz’s cheeks softly as if to tell him not to worry; it calmed him immediately.

“We should - dinner,” Kravitz said, his voice breaking as Taako sucked a mark into his neck. 

“Dinner can wait,” Taako said, impatiently. “Take me to my room?” 

Kravitz stood very quickly, bringing Taako with him. Taako wrapped his legs around Kravitz’s waist as he gripped Taako’s ass to keep him from falling. Kravitz had to focus very hard on where he was going, trying to ignore Taako’s lips at the base of his throat, Taako’s hands tugging at his hair gently. He had to stop just outside of Taako’s room, gently pressing Taako’s back into the wall as he captured Taako’s lips with his own again. 

“What are you doing to me?” Kravitz gasped between kisses. 

“What I do best, handsome,” Taako said with a grin. 

“Mmm,” Kravitz agreed against Taako’s lips. 

“C’mon,” Taako said, pulling at Kravitz’s hair slightly. Kravitz had to swallow a moan as he ducked into Taako’s room, kicking the door shut and slamming Taako against it as carefully as he could. 

“God, Krav,” Taako whispered. “C’mon. I want…” 

“What?” Kravitz asked, in a moment of bravery. He felt Taako’s hips grind into his and he groaned. “What do you want, Taako?”

“You,” Taako breathed. 

Kravitz’s chest tightened, his body shuddering against Taako’s as he exhaled. He turned around and laid Taako down on the bed. 

Taako already looked  _ wrecked,  _ his dress pulled up around his hips and his hair a tangled mess. His cheeks were flushed. He kicked his heels off into a corner and tugged Kravitz down by his suit jacket before pushing the clothing off of him. 

“You wear too much,” Taako said, pulling on his tie to kiss him again. He pulled away quickly to undo the tie and start unbuttoning Kravitz’s shirt. 

“Says you,” Kravitz said, letting Taako slowly pull his clothes off. “You’ve got about a million dresses. And you’re perfect in everyone one of them.”

“Shut up,” Taako said, finally getting the shirt unbuttoned. He pushed it off of him and tugged him back down for another kiss. 

“You’re hot when you tell me what to do,” Kravitz said matter-of-factly, kissing Taako before sitting up. “How do you…?”

Taako laughed, sitting up and unzipping the back of his dress, sliding out of it and throwing it to the side. He moved so that he straddled Kravitz again, wearing only a pair of blue underwear, sheer and floral. 

Kravitz, still in his dress pants but otherwise unclothed, felt lightheaded as Taako settled himself over Kravitz. “My god, Taako.”

“Shut up,” Taako said again, but it was softer. He reached down and touched Kravitz’s face gently, running his fingers along his sharp features. “You’re a stunner, babe.” 

“Have you seen  _ you? _ ” Kravitz asked. He tucked a lock of hair behind Taako’s ear. “I’ve never seen anyone prettier.” 

“Lup,” Taako said, softly. He very suddenly wasn’t meeting Kravitz’s eyes. 

Kravitz sat up immediately, Taako landing on his lap, looking startled. “No,” Kravitz said, intensely. “No, Taako. It’s you.”

“It’s okay,” Taako said with a shrug. “I’m used to it. She’s literally the embodiment of beauty. I’ve learned not to take it personal, sweet thing. You’re not gonna hurt my feelings.”

“But I’m telling the truth,” Kravitz pressed. “When I saw Lup, she was the prettiest thing I’d ever seen. I’ll give you that. But, Taako, when I saw you… it wasn’t the spell she’d put on me. It was you. The spell she put on me only drew me to you. Seeing you there… God, I thought I was dreaming. You’re beautiful, Taako.”

Taako ran his fingers over Kravitz’s face again, trying to find the lie in his words. He couldn’t see one, and it made his heart hurt. Even if he was lying, Kravitz was the only person aside from Lup and Lucretia that he’d ever trusted with his entire being. He reached up and kissed Kravitz, much softer this time. 

“Why haven’t you found someone above, Taako? What makes you stay with Lucretia, even though Lup is gone?” 

Taako shrugged again, his eyes on the sheets. “I’m afraid no one else will have me.” 

Kravitz swallowed hard and pulled Taako close. He pressed kisses to his hair, his cheeks, his neck. “Anyone would be lucky to have you, Taako.”

Taako looked back up at Kravitz, and there was a fire in his eyes. “Then have me,” he said. His voice was almost pleading, and Kravitz realized he would do just about anything for this damn elf. 

“Yeah,” Kravitz breathed. “Of course.” 


End file.
